San Francisco Cable Cars

San Francisco Cable Cars
Map of the route network
Route length:	17,160 km
Gauge :	1067 mm ( cape track )
Power system :	500 V  =
Minimum radius :	13.106 m
Top speed:	15.3 km / h
Dual track :	continuous
Legend Hyde & Beach Hyde & North Point Hyde / Taylor & Bay Hyde / Columbus & Chestnut Hyde / Columbus & Lombard Hyde / Mason & Greenwich Hyde / Mason & Filbert Hyde / Mason & Union Hyde / Mason & Vallejo Hyde / Mason & Filbert Hyde / Mason & Broadway Hyde / Mason & Pacific California & Van Ness California & Polk California & Larkin Cal./Washington/Jackson & Hyde Cal./Washington/Jackson & Leavenworth Cal./Washington/Jackson & Taylor Cal./Washington/Jackson & Mason Powell & Jackson Powell & Washington Powell & Clay Powell & Sacramento Powell & California Powell & Pine Powell & Bush Powell & Sutter Powell & Post Powell & Geary Powell & O'Farrell Powell & Ellis Powell & Market California & Stockton California & Grant California & Kearny California & Montgomery California & Sansome California & Battery California & Front California & Davis California & Drumm
Explanation
The station names correspond to the names of the respective street intersections. The stops are in the middle or in the immediate vicinity of the intersections (see text). So Hyde / Mason & Union means the left stop is at the intersection of Hyde Street and Union Street and the right stop is at the intersection of Mason Street and Union Street.

The San Francisco Cable Cars make up the cable car in San Francisco , California . Popular with tourists, this mode of transport is one of the few moving National Historic Landmarks in the United States and is the only remaining cable tram in the world with detachable cars.

history

Beginnings

Cable car on California Street

California Street Cable Railroad Co. stock dated July 9, 1885

On August 2, 1873, Andrew Smith Hallidie tested the first cable car system near Nob Hill, Clay and Jones Streets. On September 1, 1873, the Clay Street Line began public service.

In the years 1877 to 1892 further lines were put into operation. The second cable car route was the Sutter Street Railway , which was a horse-drawn tram until 1877 . Her rope was powered by a steam engine.

In 1874, Leland Stanford founded the California Street Cable Railroad . This company's first line ran on California Street and began operating in 1878. As the oldest of the active lines, this is still in operation today. The Geary Street, Park & ​​Ocean Railway began operating in 1880, followed by the Presidio & Ferries Railway two years later . For the first time, (let-go) curves were built into the routes.

In 1883 the Market Street Cable Railway started operating. This company was controlled by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was supposed to become the largest cableway operator in San Francisco. At the height of development, the company operated five lines, all of which met at the Ferry Building . During rush hour , a car left this junction at the port every 15 seconds.

In 1888, the Ferries and Cliff House Railway opened a system that consisted of two lines. This included the Powell-Mason Line, which still runs there today. Parts of the former Washington-Jackson line are now part of the Powell-Hyde line. Ferries and Cliff also built the vehicle depot and powerhouse on the corner of Washington and Mason, which is now the center of cable cars. The company also bought the old Clay Street Hill Railway and integrated the line into the Sacramento-Clay route.

The Omnibus Railroad & Cable Company was the last cable car company to start operating in San Francisco in 1889.

In 1890, the California Street Cable Railroad finally built the last of the new cable trams in San Francisco. Parts of these routes are now part of the Powell-Hyde line.

For reasons of competition, the track widths of all operating companies were different, so that the vehicles could not be operated on the routes of the competition.

Decline

At the turn of the century, electric trams became competitive. Several lines were converted to the new system, as the new trams were significantly faster than the cable cars. The opposition to the conversion was based primarily on the perceived disfigurement of the city by the overhead lines.

The great earthquake in San Francisco on April 18, 1906 destroyed practically all cable car lines. During the reconstruction where possible, especially under the now leading United Railroads of San Francisco (which emerged from the Market Street Railway Company), electric trams were built. The cable cars only survived on the steepest stretches of the network.

As of May 1912, only eight cable car lines were still in operation; their gradients were too steep for electric trams. In the 1920s and 1930s, however, these came under pressure as more powerful diesel buses or trolleybuses became available that could be used on the steep roads. In 1944 only two lines of the Powell Street Line were in operation, plus the three lines of the California Cable. The former belonged to the city, the others were still independent.

Struggle for preservation

Cable car on Hyde Street. Alcatraz Island in the background .

In 1947, San Francisco Mayor Roger Lapham wanted to replace the last sections of the urban Powell Line with buses. Friedel Klussmann then founded the Citizens' Committee to Save the Cable Cars and led a political struggle for the preservation of this historic means of transport. Against the opposition of the city government, your commission managed to hold a referendum on the future of cable cars. The proposal, which should oblige the city to continue the line, was very clearly accepted with 166,989 votes to 51,457.

In 1951, the California Street Cable Railroad had to shut down its lines because it was no longer able to pay the insurance premiums. The city then bought the network and resumed operations in 1952, but since the Klussmann amendment did not include the new routes, they were not appropriately saved from being closed. Once again the city government suggested replacing them with buses, and Klussmann intervened again, but this time only a compromise could be found. The California Street line was retained, as was the section on Hyde Street that is now part of the Powell-Hyde line. This required some rebuilding at the end of Hyde Street as a turntable was now needed here (the California Street Cable used bidirectional vehicles on all lines ). However, no major structural measures were carried out on the facilities, which are now over 50 years old.

Extensive repairs

Reconstruction work on Hyde Street, 1983

In 1978 the cable tram was judged to be so unsafe that it had to be suspended for seven months in order to be able to carry out urgently needed repairs. When the condition was assessed, it was found that it would cost $ 60 million to repair . Dianne Feinstein , former mayor of San Francisco, obtained the support of the federal government, which paid a substantial part of the amount. In 1982 the railway was shut down again. All track systems including the cable ducts were renewed, the nacelle gutted and equipped with new machines. To this end, 37 cars were restored or rebuilt. The ceremonial reopening took place on June 21, 1984, at the same time as the Democratic National Convention held in San Francisco at the time .

Today's network

Cable car (car number 18) on a switch in Hyde Street, 2001

Car number 57 on a siding

Three lines have been in operation since 1964 : The Powell-Hyde (line 60), The Powell-Mason (line 59) and The California Street (line 61). In its present form, the Cable Cars since January 29, 1964 are a national monument of the United States . They are also part of the 49-Mile Scenic Drive .

The transport company responsible for operating the cable cars , the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), has been pursuing various smaller projects since the last complete renovation to maintain the railways. Obsolete turntables were replaced and other cars refurbished or, in some cases, completely new ones ordered.

Route network and vehicles

Clamping claw ( grip ) when closed without rope

Play media file

Turntable in operation

On the cable cars in San Francisco, the rope runs in a ditch below the street. The wagons grip the rope with a clamping claw through a slot in the track. The rope is endless. At the end of a line, the car is turned on a turntable and can move back on the opposite track with the returning rope. There are four hubs in the San Francisco route network, one each at the final stops Powell / Main, Taylor / Bay and Hyde / Beach and one in the depot at the Mason / Washington intersection. The cars on these routes are all constructed exactly the same: two bogies with two axles each, length over all 8.4 meters (27 feet 6 inches) width over all 2.4 meters (8 feet) and 7030 kilograms (15,500 pounds ) a capacity of 60 passengers, including 29 seats. However, the color scheme is not uniform, it is reminiscent of different epochs and different operating companies.

In order to be able to do without turntables, bidirectional trolleys with two clamping claws are used on the California Street Line . At the end of the line, they switch to the opposite track using a simple switch. These cars are slightly longer than the way vehicles : long 9.2 meters (30 feet 3 inches), (8 feet) heavy 2.4 meters wide and 7,620 kilograms (16,800 pounds). They offer space for 68 people, 34 of whom are seated.

The route network consists of the three lines Powell-Hyde, Powell-Mason and California Street. The first two lines share the stretch on Powell Street.

• The Powell-Hyde Line (Official Name: Line 60) runs north from the terminus at the Powell and Market junction, past Union Square and then climbs steeply up Nob Hill . Here she crosses California Street and then takes a sharp left four blocks onto Jackson Street (this is a one-way west, cars go east on Washington Street). Here it goes up again to Hyde Street, where the route turns north again and leads steeply down over Russian Hill to the coast to the east end of Fisherman's Wharf . This line is very popular with tourists, waiting several hours for the journey of around half an hour are not uncommon.
• The Powell-Mason Line (line 59) divides the first section of the route from Market Street to Nob Hill with the Powell-Hyde Line. On the hill, however, it branches off to the north on Mason Street, there leads steeply down to Columbus Avenue, which it follows for one block, and then leads two more blocks north on Taylor Street. The line ends three blocks before Pier 43, where the historic warships USS Pampanito and SS Jeremiah O'Brien are on display.
• The California Street Line (Route 61) follows California Street for its entire length. The endpoints are to the west on Van Ness Avenue, to the east at the intersection with Drum Street and Market Street, respectively. Because this station is located in the middle of the Financial District with its high-rise buildings that define the skyline of San Francisco, it is also increasingly used by locals.
• A rail link from California Street along Hyde to Washington Street will be used to drive to the depot. Passengers are not carried on this route. However, proposals for the expansion of the network include a direct connection from the east end of California Street via this stretch of road along Hyde Street to the sea.

Intermediate stops are located after practically every block, in most cases in the middle of the intersection. These are often the only level sections, especially on the Powell, Hyde and Mason sections, which have very steep inclines, so that you can only get on or off there. These stops in the middle of the intersections are not entirely safe for passengers. In addition, the stops here lead to a traffic obstruction. In general, the number of accidents with cable cars is relatively high, but many are mild, which is probably due to the low speed. There are also accidents with motor vehicles due to brake failure.

Machine house

Central drive wheels for the cable cars

The cable car machine house is at the intersection of Mason Street and Washington Street. The depot with the repair shop is located on the upper floor. On the middle floor there is a museum with exhibits on the history of cable cars. These include some wagons from the 19th century and some exhibits that explain the technology in more detail, for example an elevation of a gripper or various tools for maintaining and operating the cable wagon. From here you can watch the four motors located on the ground floor, one for each of the four revolving ropes. There are three large revolving wheels, so-called sheaves, for each rope. The middle one is the drive wheel, in front of it is the planetary wheel, with which the rope is looped around the first one so that it rests on the entire circumference of the drive wheel in order to maximize the friction.

Each of the four motors has an output of 380  kilowatts (510  hp ) and moves the rope at a constant speed of 15.3 km / h (9.5  miles per hour ), which is also the top speed of the car. The third rotating wheel is at the very back of the room. It is pulled back with heavy weights and thus ensures that the necessary rope tension is maintained.

In the basement, under the crossroads, the visitor can observe several other sheaves, with whose help the ropes are guided in the respective directions of the routes. Because of the motors and ropes, there is a high level of noise throughout the building.

Driving technique and staff

Cable routing for cable cars (diagram, does not correspond to the actual cable route in San Francisco)

The “control elements” of a cable car: the red lever in front on the left is the slot brake, in the middle the gripper, on the right the rail brake. The pedal in front of it is the wheel brake for the front turntable, the one for the rear turntable is at the end of the car. The gripman is behind the levers

Gripman at work

Riding on the running boards

Historic tram coins (tokens) of the Cable Cars

In the idle state, the drive rope runs below the tensioning claw. This has three main positions: fully open (lever in front) so that the rope falls out, half open (lever in half) and firmly (fully tightened). The driver , the so-called "gripman", has to feel the exact lever positions . The lever has no fixed locking positions, just a pawl . This prevents the lever from automatically moving back into the open position.

To start off, the driver has to lift the rope so that it comes to rest between the claw. There are three ways to do this. The easiest place is where the road runs through a short depression in such a way that the pulling rope comes close enough to the surface. Such spots are often found at the beginning of a climb. If the terrain is too flat to bring the rope to the surface, a lever sunk next to the track can be used. These are located in flat sections at the terminus. If the rope has to be picked up in a place where none of the previous options are intended, the Gripman uses a long hook.

As soon as the rope is at the height of the claw, it is half closed. The rope now grinds in the claw. If this is completely closed, the rope jams and the car starts moving. To stop, the Gripman slowly opens the claw and simultaneously applies the brake. During intermediate stops, the rope remains in the grinding position so that you can continue driving immediately.

This detachable design also enables rope crossings and curves. At an intersection, the rope in front of the intersection must be dropped on the route with the rope lying down and then picked up again. It works in a similar way with so-called let-go curves, the rope is deflected by a single rotating wheel outside the curve. Such points are always on the same level or even on a slope, so that the car can roll over the non-drive point with its remaining momentum. If a curve is required where the route leads uphill, a pull curve is used. Here the rope is guided along the track by means of many smaller circulating rollers so that the claw can remain attached.

The crew of each cable car consists of two employees. The Gripman is located in the front, open part of the car and operates the control levers. In addition to the lever that opens and closes the claw, there is another lever for the rail brake . If this is tightened, wooden blocks sink onto the rails and brake the car. The foot brake is connected to brake shoes on the front bogie.

The second person is the brakeman , who operates the wheel brake on the rear bogie using a crank at the end of the car. He also acts as a conductor as long as the additional braking power is not required. If all normal driving brakes fail, the Gripman can still use an emergency brake . If this is activated, a steel wedge is rammed into the cable slot in the road, so the brake is called slot brake , which brings the car to an instant stop. In many cases, however, only the welding torch helps to get the vehicle ready to drive again.

Due to the high forces required to operate the levers, the gripmen must be physically fit and wear sturdy leather gloves . Women were not represented until the end of the 1990s because of the high physical demands. Female Gripmen (or more correctly: Gripwomen) have only existed since January 15, 1998: Fannie Mae Barnes was the first woman to drive a cable car. Nevertheless, women in this position are still a rarity today.

In addition to their main task, the crew must also pay attention to the safety of the passengers. In addition to the dangers of getting in and out in the middle of an intersection, the position of the people must also be taken into account, especially in the open part. Standing on the running boards is, contrary to the usual high safety precautions in the United States, permitted and customary. However, this applies to a maximum of two people per handrail and not in the entry area. Any rucksacks or bags carried must be stowed securely.

Gripman and Brakeman communicate via two bells while driving. The Gripman operates the larger one above the driver's cab by means of a rope attached to it. The brake bell is located in front of the Gripman and is operated from behind by a cable.

Bell signal from the brakeman to the gripman
Car drives	Ring once	Stop at the next stop, passengers want to get off
Car starts up	Ring once	Stop again
Car stands	Ring twice	Ready to drive, no more passenger movements
Car drives	Ring three times	Stop immediatly
Car drives backwards	Ring four times	Slowly drop backwards, the road is clear. The signal is repeated as long as the road is clear or the Gripman announces with his bell that no further reversing is required.
Commands to the brakeman
	Ring once	Apply the rear brake
	Ring twice	Release the brake
	Ring three times	Emergency stop. Maximum braking power on the rear brake, in the California Street Car: Use the rear slot brake.
	Ring four times	I want to drive backwards (roll down backwards, for example if it was found in the middle of the incline that the rope is not properly secured)

Competitions are also held with the bells. The Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest takes place every year, in 2012 for the 50th time.

Tourist attraction and landmark

When there is a lot of crowds, tourists have to wait a long time to ride the famous cable cars. It is therefore worth getting on a few stations after the terminus to avoid this waiting time. The railway can also be found as a landmark on numerous souvenirs in the city. In addition to the "real" cable cars, there are also city ​​tour buses with structures based on the cable cars.

Web links

Commons : Cable cars in San Francisco  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• The San Francisco Cable Car (obsolete)
• Cable Car Museum , with a description of how it works
• Cable Cars Page (obsolete)
• History and current information about events
• Pictures and background information

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Sum of the rope lengths. Powell Street 9,050 feet, Mason Street 10,050 feet, Hyde Street 15,700 feet, and California Street 21,500 feet
2. ^ Hans Braun: Historical stocks USA. Reflections of the economy. Volume 1, pp. 146f, ISBN 3-87439-397-6
3. ^ ^{A b} Museums in Motion - 1984 - Rejuvenation. (No longer available online.) Market Street Railway, archived from the original on October 24, 2007 ; Retrieved May 19, 2015 . 
4. ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: California. National Park Service , accessed August 3, 2019.
5. ↑ Cable cars are here to stay Val Lupiz and Walter Rice
6. ^ Dan Noyes: High Accident Rate On SF Cable Cars. abc, November 29, 2006, accessed June 24, 2009 . 
7. ^ Joe Thompson: Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest. Retrieved June 26, 2009 . 

Coordinates: 37 ° 47 ′ 40 "  N , 122 ° 24 ′ 41"  W.